McEwan’s high score offset by Canterbury defeat

Press, 29 December 1987, Page 36

McEwan’s high score offset by Canterbury defeat

PA Wellington Paul McEwan recorded the highest score in oneday cricket by a Canterbury batsman yesterday but suffered, with his team, the shattering blow of defeat by Wellington McEwan’s innings of 106, made in the context of a failing Canterbury innings, was full of the delightful improvised stroke-making which makes him feared in oneday cricket.

But McEwan’s satisfaction with his personal milestone was diminished substantially by his team’s six-wicket loss in the Shell Cup match. “There’s nothing worse than getting 100 and losing,” he said.

But if McEwan was disappointed, the Wellington star, Bruce Edgar,

was also a touch deprived — and on his own benefit day. Edgar was on 94 when McSweeney hit the second ball of Andrew Hintz’ over over the mid-wicket boundary. The blow took Wellington’s total to 192, four short of victory, but Edgar need six for his century. McSweeney instantly realised the unfortunate consequences of his action. He blocked out the rest of the over so Edgar could have strike. The century was still achievable, but Edgar needed to move closer to the mark with a single or two. He tried and Canterbury — accepting defeat when the scores were tied in the forty-seventh over — entered the spirit of the day and tried to help

“Michael Holding bowled me a slow one and a full toss near the end, but I must have been getting tired. I missed them both,” Edgar said. Hintz pitched one short in his tenth over to let Edgar hook. The shot reached the boundary — but not on the full and Wellington finished 199-4 ... Edgar 99. “I sort of lost strike near the end, but the century didn’t mean a lot to me then, anyway,” he said. “When Ervin came out and plundered a six, I virtually gave it away.” CANTERBURY J. Boyle c Edgar b Holland 37 D. Dempsey lbw Cederwall 6 P. McEwan c Cederwall b Holland 106 M. Priest run out 2 D. Boyle run out 1

M. Bromner b Larsen ... 17 C. Flanagan c McSweeney b Larsen 7 D. Hartshorn lbw Larsen . 0 A. Hintz b Maguiness. ... 6 L. Gormon b Holland ... 0 M. Holding not out 4 Extras (w3, lb2, nb4). ... 9 Total 195 Fall: 19, 124, 129, 131, 167, 177, 178, 186, 187, 195. Bowling.— G. Cederwall 6,1, 21, 1; J. Millmow 5,0, 28, 0; G. Larsen 9,0, 28, 3; S. Maguiness 9,0, 39, 1; B. Williams. 10, 0, 36, 0; R. Holland 10, 0, 41, 3. WELLINGTON B. Edgar not out 99 A. Nathu b Flanagan. ... 9 G. Burnett c D. Boyle b Hintz 5 T. Ritchie run out 0 G. Larsen c Priest b Dempsey 66 E. McSweeney not out. . . 7 Extras (w2, lb 9, nb2). ... 13 Total (for 4 wkts) 199 Fall: 33, 42, 43, 185. Bowling.— C. Flanagan 10, 1, 35, 1; M. Holding 9,2, 22, 0; A. Hintz 9:4, 0, 36, 1; M. Priest 10, 1, 43, 0; D. Hartshorn 5,0, 35, 0; D. Dempsey 3,0, 19, 1.